Personal health budgets

Personal health budgets can improve people’s quality of life and their experience of care, by helping people to have more choices about how their healthcare needs are met.

NHS England is working with partners across education and social care to support more young people with complex health needs to access personal health budgets.

The ‘right to have’ a personal health budget currently applies both to adults and young adults who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, and children in receipt of continuing care.

Personal budgets are also enshrined in legislation under the following acts

The Care Act 2014, which requires the NHS and local authorities to provide an early indication of what support, including personal budgets, will be available to young people when they transfer to adult services

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities and CCGs to consider the option of a personal budget for children and young people who are eligible for an education, health and care (EHC) plan.